Wire-reel.



J. L. CORLEY.

WIRE REEL.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 19. 19M.

1,230,677. Patented June 19, 1917.

F Z1 Z3 9 8 6 l9 E/ T Q J. L, CORLEY.

Patented June 19, 1917.

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JACOB L; CORLEY, OFALMA, MISSOURI.

WIRE-REEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB L. Conner, a citizen of the United States, residing at' Alma, in the county of Lafayette and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ire-Reels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire reels, and more particularly to a portable device for unwinding lengths of wire along fence posts for making a fence, or for winding the wire upon a reel in taking down a fence.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a portable wire reel as specified, which is constructed so that in the forming of a fence, the different lengths of wire between the various posts of the fence may be efficiently stretched during the unreeling operation of the wire, and also a traction or. portable structure which is constructed so as to receive the ordinary spool such as fence wire is wound upon for commercial purposes.

iVith the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate like or corresponding parts through the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved wire reel,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the winding wheels employed in the construction of the reel,

Fig. 41 is a cross sectional view on the line 41 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the ordinary type of spool which is used for marketing fence wire.

Referring more particularly. to the drawings, 1 designates the supporting frame of the wire reel, which supporting frame may be mounted upon runners 2, orifit is so desired it may have traction wheels (not shown) mounted thereupon. The supporting frame 1 has a cross piece 3 secured to the forward end thereof, to which cross piece an ordinary clevis 4 is attached for the purpose of hitching the supporting frame to any suitable type of propelling means.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19, 1917'.

Application filed May 19, 1914. Serial No. 839,561.-

. The supporting frame 1 has bearings 53' and 6 mounted upon the upper edge of its longitudinally extending sides, which bearings are formed by depending and laterally projecting hook shaped loops which are formed'upon the upper terminal ends of the supporting brackets 7. By the provision of the hook or loop bearings 5 and 6, the shaft 8 may be removed therefrom without necesisifiating the rem-oval of journal caps or the The shaft 8 extends from one of the bear- 1ngs5 or 6 to the other, and laterally or transversely across the supporting frame 1,

having its outer terminal ends provided with exteri'ial screw threads for the reception of nuts 9. The shaft 8 has mounted thereupon adjacent its opposite ends, hand power wheels 10 and 11, which wheels have four spokes 12 radiating from the central axis of the wheels at right angles to each other. The four spokes 12 have lugs 1 formed thereupon, which lugs have their inner straight ends 15 spaced from each other and from the central aXis of the wheelsso as to snugly fit the ends of the cross pieces 16 of anordinary wire spool 17 L The wheels 10 and 11' are spaced apart from each other so as to accommodate therebetween the lengtlrof an ordinary spool 17, such as wire used for constructing fences is reeled upon for marketing-purposes.

The supporting structure or frame 1 has a rod 20 journaled therein forwardly of the bearings 5 and 6, and the rod has a crank handle 21 formed upon its outer terminal end, which projects laterally of the sup porting frame 1. A brake shoe 22 is secured on the terminal end of an arm 23, which arm is secured to the rod 20 in any suitable manner. The brake shoe 22 is adapted for peripheral frictional engagement with one of the wheels 10 or 11, for retarding the unwinding or winding rotation thereof and thereby retard the rotation of the reel or spool 17.

In the operation of the improved wire reel; when it is desired to stretch a wire for building a fence, a spool which has the wire wound thereupon is placed between the wheels 10 and 11 and upon the shaft 8, by removing the nut 9 from one end of the shaft and sliding the same out of the bearings, and removing one of the wheels 10 or 11, after which the spool is mounted upon the shaft, through the central openings lot which are formed in the ends of the spool, after which the wheel is again placed upon the shaft and the nut 9 mounted upon the end for retaining the spool and the wheel thereupon. The spool containing the hand wire is placed between and held by the hand wheels 10 and 11, and the wheels are moved so that the ends of projections 16 which are formed upon the spool will be snugly seated between the respective lugs 14 which are formed upon the wheels, and-thus the spool will be rotated with the rotation of the wheel, which wheels are adapted to be rotated by an operator winding the wire upon the spool. After the spool has been mounted upon the shaft and between the two wheels 10 and 11, one end of the wire is securely fastened to the post on which the fence is to be constructed, and by propelling the supporting structure alongside of the various posts the wire will be unwound from the spool. WVhen it is desired to stretch the wire, any suitable length of the same may be securely attached to the posts adjacent thereto in any suitable manner such as by staples or the like, and the brake shoe 22 applied to the periphery of one of the wheels, which will retard the rotation thereof so that the further traction of the supporting frame will efficiently stretch the wire, forming a neat appearing and secure fence.

When it is desired to tear down the fence and rewind the wire upon the spool, the spool is mounted upon the shaft in operation similar to the one heretofore described, and one end of the wire attached to the spool, and the supporting structure is propelled in a direction for winding the wire upon the spool.

In reducing the invention to practice, such minor features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts may necessitate alteration, to which the patentee is entitled provided such alterations are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

WV hat is claimed is In a wire reel, a supporting frame, a pair of supporting brackets secured to and extending upwardly from said frame, a shaft extending horizontally across said frame and removably ournaled in said brackets, a hand power wheel removably mounted on said shaft adjacent each end thereof, each wheel provided with four spokes radiating from the central axis of the wheels and arranged at right angles to each other, each of said spokes having a lug on its inner face forming an abutting surface facing the central axis of the wheel and equally spaced therefrom, said abutting face of the lugs adapted to engage the end of a cross piece formed on the opposite ends of an. ordinary spool when said spool is mounted on the shaft and located between the wheels and so clamped be tween the wheels as to cause the spool to be rotated with the rotation of the wheels, and means carried by the frame and adapted to be moved into engagement with the periphery of one of the wheels to retard the rotation of the wheels and spool.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB L. GORLEY.

Witnesses:

R. L. GRANT, H. C. CORDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of. Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

